title: Access to safe water in rural Artibonite, Haiti 16 months after the onset of the cholera epidemic.
abstract: Haiti has the lowest improved water and sanitation coverage in the Western Hemisphere and is suffering from the largest cholera epidemic on record. In May of 2012, an assessment was conducted in rural areas of the Artibonite Department to describe the type and quality of water sources and determine knowledge, access, and use of household water treatment products to inform future programs. It was conducted after emergency response was scaled back but before longer-term water, sanitation, and hygiene activities were initiated. The household survey and source water quality analysis documented low access to safe water, with only 42.3% of households using an improved drinking water source. One-half (50.9%) of the improved water sources tested positive for Escherichia coli. Of households with water to test, 12.7% had positive chlorine residual. The assessment reinforces the identified need for major investments in safe water and sanitation infrastructure and the importance of household water treatment to improve access to safe water in the near term.
authors.forename: Molly
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Patrick
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Berendes
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.forename: Fabienne
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bertrand
authors.forename: Farah
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Husain
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Handzel
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002771:Cholera / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D060766:Drinking Water / Q000592:standards*; D058872:Epidemics / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D006205:Haiti / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012499:Sanitation; D018508:Water Purification / Q000379:methods; D014881:Water Supply / Q000032:analysis; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D060766:Drinking Water